Next day upload for a bunch of reasons. Mainly me having no self control and you guys leaving awesome comments. It's also so nice to go back and post chapters that I finished a while ago. I can you tell you though that my new project is called A path we choose and I already have four chapters written and beta'ed. Stay tuned!
Beth groans herself into consciousness.
Everything is cold and clammy beneath her arms and bare shoulders, her naked thighs. When she turns on her side and blinks awake, she finds late afternoon sun that pokes into her eyes.
Beth knows immediately she's been lying down for a while. Her whole body aches and is frozen from the bathroom tiles. Her head is still ringing but thoughts come a little slower now, a little less overwhelming.
The worst part of her is her shoulder, which is pulsing with its own heartbeat. Blearily gripping the sheets back around her, she pushes herself to standing and flushes the toilet with a grimace.
Groaning softly, she shuffles into her bedroom. The door is still shut and everything is as she left it, so she doesn't think Maggie has been in here.
If she had she's sure her sister would have come to find her in the bathroom and helped. She wonders why Maggie's let her sleep this long though.
A glance out of the windows tells her it will be evening in less than two hours. Gingerly sourcing some clothes, she pulls them on as quickly as she can bare before she hurries down the stairs.
Her heart is racing with excitement and her stomach a mixture of that and anxiety. She can't wait to see her sister, to really see her.
She prays to God that Maggie can find the forgiveness Beth is so desperately craving from her. Daryl too. Some awful things were said and last night was magic.
She needs to see him, to know he's okay, to know where he is. She's excited to see her sister but she's just as ecstatic to see him again.
As she rounds the corner into the kitchen she finds Maggie there with Enid who is slowly cutting the ends of Maggie's hair off.
Beth comes to a halt, her eyes darting to Enid cautiously. She's a lovely girl, Beth doesn't mean to be so suspicious of her and it takes her a moment to analyse why her gut has twisted sharply.
Jealousy.
As Girl she observed how close Maggie and Enid's bond is but as Beth she slightly resents it. She should have that bond with her sister but as Girl she damaged it so harshly.
Horrible words and insults that she knows would have torn her sister to shreds. Looking at Enid feels like looking at the life she should have had, had she continued on its path.
Beth's thoughts are interrupted when Maggie glances up with a smile. "Afternoon. You feel any better?"
"Depen's on your perspective," Beth mutters.
Maggie frowns as Enid snips a lock of hair. Beth watches it tumble as she whispers, "it's me," she pauses to look her sister in the eye. "Beth."
Her sister smiles with confusion. "I can see that, honey. Are you okay? Do you want some breakfast?"
"No, Maggie," Beth presses seriously and Maggie's smile falters. "It's me. I remember."
Maggie gasps into the oncoming silence, her hands flying to cover her mouth as she sobs. "Bethy?"
Enid glances at her with wide eyes and then steps back as Maggie shoots from her chair, colliding with Beth in a hug that sucks the breath out of her.
She cries the minute her face falls into Maggie's shoulder but the sobs are happy, filled with laughs and then Maggie is laughing too, looking at Enid with a huge smile.
Glancing back at Beth, she takes her face between her palms and smothers Beth with kisses. Beth laughs, her face wet from her tears and Maggie's mouth.
"Oh, God. Oh, thank you," Maggie cries as she squeezes Beth tight. "Come over here!" She says to Enid a little hysterically.
Enid laughs nervously and they all fall into a messy three way hug full of laughs and smiles. The happiness deflates a little though as Beth pulls away and sobers up. "Have you seen Daryl?"
Maggie's face sobers and she opens her mouth to say something but then glances at Beth's shoulder. "Beth, you're bleedin'!"
"Huh?" She glances at her shoulder which has bled through her t-shirt. Glancing back to her sister she shakes her head. "Don't avoid the question." She narrows her eyes at her sister. "Where's Daryl?"
"Enid get me the first aid kit," Maggie instructs.
"Maggie!" Beth snaps. "Don't keep secrets from me."
Maggie sighs and waits until Enid comes back with the box. "Sit down an' I'll tell you."
Beth sits stiffly and lets Maggie pull her sleeve over her shoulder so she can access it. "Rosita came by. He's gone to find Carol. She left."
"Oh no," Beth mutters miserably.
Part of her is sad because she knows how much Daryl needs his friend. His best friend in fact but there's also a part of her that wouldn't have wanted him to go, had she gotten the choice in the manner. She doesn't want him to be gone, doesn't want to be worrying the way she is now.
"Why?" She continues.
Maggie grimaces as she wipes up Beth's shoulder. "She's had enough of killin'. Like the rest of us."
"But Daryl needs her," Beth says immediately.
Them having sex last night was huge. Emotionally revealing too and Daryl will be feeling vulnerable. He would have wanted someone to talk to, someone to help him stop beating himself up for finally having what he wants, for being selfish.
"Why?" Maggie enquires as she takes up the needle. "Somethin' happen?"
"No," Beth answers half-heartedly. "Nothin' bad."
"Beth…" Maggie hesitates as she takes a hold of her shoulder.
"There isn't time, Maggie! I can't lose him." Beth presses as she agitatedly thrusts her hand through her hair. "Anythin' could happen to him."
Maggie sighs and smiles sympathetically. "I know you're worried 'bout him, but Daryl's a big boy. He wouldn't have gone if it was really dangerous."
"What Daryl thinks is dangerous an' what's ac'ually dangerous are two very different things," Beth laughs without humour.
"He was wrecked over Denise but I held his attention. Just like I have since I got back 'cause I'm selfish." Her hand automatically raises to pick her scar and she swallows, dropping her fingers in disgust.
"Hey," her sister says sharply as she tugs the thread through. "You are not selfish. You had amnesia, Beth."
Beth sighs bitterly. "He's done nothin' but look after me since the prison. I know he's tired, Maggie."
Maggie glances through her uneven hair at her. "I know, honey. He'll be back."
Beth nods and then falls silent as Maggie stitches her up again. After that she worries restlessly as Maggie finishes getting her hair cut.
"How 'bout you, Bethy? You wanna trim?" Maggie asks when she's done.
Enid looks to her with a smile. "I don't mind."
Beth considers her hair. Most of it is tangled together, some parts beginning to dread.
Glancing back to Enid she sheepishly says, "if you can get the scissors through it then go ahead."
Enid laughs and beckons her to the chair Maggie vacates. "I'll give it a try."
Sitting down, Beth closes her eyes and thinks about Daryl, where he is, if he's okay. She knows deep in her heart that last night was something that was brewing between them.
Brewing from that first time in the trunk, squished together and breathing so tight. Breathing through the attraction, the adrenaline. The need.
Beth also knows that Daryl feels that way too and he wouldn't have left her to wake up alone if he wasn't helping someone. If he wasn't helping Carol, a woman they all love.
She loves that about him. He's so selfless and honest. Loyal to the bone. She told him that too: that she loves him. He'll be back. Beth knows it.
Sometime later and Enid is on the top layer of her hair when Maggie howls out in pain, bursting the calm atmosphere.
"What's wrong?" Beth and Enid say in unison.
"Oh, the baby!" She cries as she falls to her knees.
Beth's stomach nose dives as she hurries to her sister. "Enid, help me! We gotta get help!"
"We don't have a doctor anymore," Enid responds on the edge of panic. "Denise is gone. Wait!" She glances at Maggie quickly. "The Hilltop?"
"Yeah," Maggie agrees. "We need, agh, a car," she hisses, cradling her belly.
Just then the sliding doors rattle and Beth glances out to Buttons big face pushing the glass. An idea strikes.
Turning back to Enid, she instructs, "you take Maggie, I'll follow."
Enid nods with a tight face and hugs Maggie to her as they leave. Just before they exit the door way, Maggie turns back to her and whispers fiercely, "hurry."
"I will," Beth promises vehemently. "I ain't losin' you. I ain't losin' anyone ever again."
Just a reminder you guys that I am on A03 under the username LeighJ and I have to admit, I edited all my pieces over there so they're a lot less error filled there. I just haven't been bothered to transfer them over here so if you want more smooth reading, A03 is the place to be. Plus I reply to comments there because it's so much easier.